Coupon railroad-ticket.



.1. CANNON & Al HERMANY.

COUPON RAILROAD TICKET.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9. 1913. 1 160,377. Patented N0v.16,1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH ca ,wAsI-HNGTON, D. c.

.JJCANNON am. HERMANY.

COUPON RAILROAD TICKET.

CDLIJMHIA ILANOGRAPH C0.. WASmNoToN. D. c.

W. i. CANNON & A. HERMANY.

couPoN RAILROAD HCKET.

........... ....m .mmf

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH tn .wAsHlNuTOM D. c

WILLIAM J. CANNON AND ALFRED HERMANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COUPON RAILROAD-TICKET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

Application filed September 9, 1913. Serial No. 788,806.

To all aci/tom it may concern Be it known that we, WILLIAM J. CANNON and ALFRED l-IERMANY, citizens of the United States, and residents of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coupon Railroad-Tickets, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to socalled coupon or interline tickets for transportation over an initial line of road and connecting lines, and seeks to provide a simple, improved form which may be easily read and under stood and in which the execution orissuing of the ticket may be readily and accurately effected to show the complete route or journey upon each of the passage coupons and upon the agents stub.

The invention consists in the features of novelty hereinafter set forth, illustrated in the preferred form in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows the agents stub and thefirst three coupons of one form of the improved ticket. Fig. 2 shows the last three coupons of the ticket and the contract portion. Fig. 3 illustrates another form of the improved ticket with the contract portion thereof omitted.

In the improved ticket, the several coupons which are valid for different portions of the journey are connected together at their vertical side edges and extend from left to right lengthwise of the ticket in the order of their use. Such coupons necessarily vary in number, in accordance with the number of links or junctions between the starting point and destination.

In the form shown in Figs. l and 2, there are Six coupons, l, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 which are adapted to be used from any starting point upon a railroad running into Council Bluffs to a destination upon any one of a number of lines running out of Buffalo. These cou pons are formedv by dividing the ticket by a number Vof vertical, indented or weakened lines 7 which form the vertical side edges of the` several coupons. These severalcoupons are arranged from left to right lengtliwise of the ticket in the order of their use, and the usual agents stub 8 is formed at the left hand end of the ticket, being separated from the first passage coupon by one of the weakened lines 7.

The contract portion 94 of the ticket is arranged at the right hand end, being separated from the last coupon by a vertical line 10 which, however, is not a weakened line. Thel reading matter upon all of the ccupons'and upon the contract portion, and the principal portion of the reading matter upon the agents stub is hori zontally disposed. Vhen the ticket is issued, the agents stub is detached. The parts of the ticket are thus arrangedl in natural readingorder or from left to right lengthwise of the ticket and inthe order of sequence in which the several coupons are used. The several coupons are provided with different j captions which extend across the top of the ticket, wherev they readily catch the eye, and which clearly indicate the different portions of the journey over which the respecf tive coupons are valid. These captions are preferably emphasized, for example, by printing the same in heavy, bold faced type, as in the ticket illustrated. .Thus, as clearly indicated, in captions of the several coupons in the form shown in Figs. land 2, the first coupon is good from a station on the Interline Railway to the first junction point, Council Bluffs, the second coupon is good from Council Bluffs to Chicago, the third for the omnibusV transfer at Chicago, the fourth from Chicago to Buffalo, the fifth forthe omnibus transfer at Buffalo and the sixth from Buffalo to the destination.

The agents stub and each coupon contains a list of the connecting lines which are preferably, arranged inY a single, vertical column and are .consecutively numbered, as shown. If the ticket is uintended to read through 'more than one junction or gaten way, the list Vof lines on each coupon and on the agents stub is divided .into separate groups or sections in accordance with the number ofA junctions, and these groups of lines are arranged .in the proper geographical order. For example, the ticket shown in Figs. 1 and2 reads through three junctions or gate-ways, namely, Council Bluffs, Chicago and Buffalo, and the llistof lines upon the'agents stub and on the several coupons isdivided into three groups c, o and c. The first group a contains six Alines which extend from Council Bluffs to Chicago. The next group Z) contains five lines extending from Chicago to Buffalo and the last group o contains eight lines running out of Buffalo, and

loo

ics

any one of these lines in the terminal group c. Each coupon and the agents stub also indicates adjacent Vthe groups of lines, the route over which each group extends. For

example, in the form shown, the words' Y Routing to Chicago, Routing to Buffalo and Routing to destination? are arrangedv in a column parallel to the vertical column of connecting lines and opposite the respective groups. i t the bottom of the listof lines the agents stub and the several coupons are provided with a space Z in which the destination may be indicated. ln the form shown in Figs. l and 2, this space is blank and the destination is written with penv and inkiu this blank space when theV Each coupon andthe agents stub is also preferably provided with a vertical column of stars or similar punch guides correspond ing tio the list ofy lines thereon. The con secutiye numbers and the punch guides or stars are arranged adjacent the right hand edge ofthe agents stub and'I are alternately arranged adiacent tlie left hand and right hand side edges of the succeeding coupons. The indicating spaces c, 7 and g are also similarly arranged. c ln executing the ticket, it is folded' about the lines 'Ecommencing at the left hand end. each coupon being folded beneath the preceding one, and the first coupon being folded beneath the agents` stub. The punch guides and indicating spaces e, f and f/ will then all register alongt'he right hand marginal folds and beneath the right' handedge ofthe agents stub. The lines selected in the different groups can then be readily indicated by a single punching oper'- ation' in each group and the other details can be indicated in the spaces c and f, if necessary;` Similarly, the' entire ticket can be canceled for baggage by a single punch'- ing operation. lt should be noted that the; spaces for the punching operations are arranged` closely adjacent the margin `of the ticket when it is folded, so that a single die punch,VV such as an ordinary Lor O punch can be usedand long multiple die` punches need not be employed In this way, the different connecting lines over which the ticket is issued and the other details are clearly indicated onA theagents stub andy each of the ydifferent coupons. n

The caption at the top of the first coupon contains the name of the issuing line and its junction, and' the caption ofthe other couponsY indicatesA the portions of thel journey' for which such coupon is valid, and also contains. a reference t-o the connectingrr lines designated or selected by the punch marks. That is tosay, in the form of ticket shown in Figs. l and 2, the caption of coupon No.

2' contains the'names of the junctions Coun' cil Bluffs and Chicago between which the coupon reads and a reference to the selected' line in the first group. Similarly, `the captions ofcoupons 4c and 6 clearly indicate the points between which these coupons read and contain references to the selectedline in the second and third groups, respectively. Preferably, the particular group of lines to which each of the coupons 2, 4 andA 6V relate is emphasized, for example, as shown, by printing the same in bold faced type, and' the respective groups upon these coupons are designated in the caption and inthe body of the couponV by the words Section l, Section 2 and Section 3.

Coupons 3' and 5, as stated, are for'omni'- bus transfers at Chicago'and Buffalo and, as indicatedk in' thev caption, are good' only if the connecting" lines at Chicago andY Buffalo occupy different stations and are voidl if they occupy the same station. Preferably, these transfer coupons also contain a column containing the words in bold type Transfer coupon not good on trains.

The agents stub and the several coupons are each provided at. its lower portion with a space L" for the form number ofthey ticket,

a space y' for the ticket number, and also with the name of the issuing' line'. The

agentsy stub is also provided' along its left hand margin with brief instructions forexecuting or. issuing the ticket, these printed instructionsA being disposed vertically upon the' stub: At the top the stub is provided with spaces for the route numbers andthe fare. By'consecutiyely numbering the connecting lines, the route may be very easily and briefly suininarined. For example, the words' Form 5000*-1 9-15 would be the route numbers for a trip from. anyv station on the' initial line to: Council Bluffs, thencel over the Burlington route to Chicago and the'l Michigan Central. Railroad toA Buffalo, and thence over the Erie Railroad! tothe destination.

The" contract portion 9 contains thev usual contract Vand has at its lower' portion the spaces cl, c, f, g, it, and jsirnilar to the corresponding.' spaces upon the agents stuband passagecoupons. lt also contains the usual date stafr la at its right hand margin which,

when properly punched, indicates the limitl of they ticket'. lfllhen' there is an oddy number of coupons in theticket, for,l example three,

suchV as shown in Figs; 1 and 2, the4 contract portionris folded l'i'eneath thel lastl coupon about the line 10; In such'ca-ses, the left hand margin offthecontract portion is pref.-

embly Provided `With a i'ow'of stars` or 'like .punch guides rto indicate the nature of the punching in that margin and the indicating spaces e, y and g are also arranged on the left hand margin, so `that they arepunched with the coupons and. by a single ypunching 'operation for each detail indicated. If desired, an eXtra dummy kor blank `coupon or section may be inserted between theagents stub and the iirstcoupon in all tickets having an even nuinberof coupons, sothat the folding and punching of thel `left hand margin of the contract 'portion may be'avoided. The form shown 1n Fig. 3 1s similar to that shown in Figs. l and 2, exceptthat the ticket reads over the issuing line to a single junction point, namely, Chicago and thence from Chicago to a destination over a number of connecting lines, thirteen:innumber in the form shown. rihe ticket also contains a list of printed destinationsbeneathlthe list of lines and having punch guides. rlhis list contains the names of the principal points upon the connecting' lines and in a large number of instances, avoids the necessity of Writing the destination upon the coupons with pen and ink.

The arrangement of the coupons or sections is in horizontal order and extends lengthwise of the ticket from left to right, commencing with the agents stub, followed by the coupons for the initial and succeeding portions of the journey arranged in the sequential order ofuse and 'ending With the contract portion at the right hand end of the ticket. in this Way, all of the details of the ticket are presented. in their natural order to the eye of the agent, passenger', conductor and others having to do therewith, When the ticket is either folded or extended. By reason of this horizontal arrangement While the details to be indicated register When the ticket is folded for punching, such details are arranged in the same relative vertical order on each coupon or section, instead of in alternately reversed order, as is the case when the coupons of such tickets are vertically arranged. rThe details of the tickets are so arranged, as stated, that When folded the stars or punch guides are at the right hand margin or edge of the folded ticket. The latter is then in the most convenient position for indicating the details With a punch held in the right hand. At the same time, the instructions and other reading mattei' upon the agents stub is clearly visible, so that the ticket can `be quickly and accurately executed, the details being punched in order from top toy bottom. By having the date staff at the right hand margin of the contract portion, it also can be readily and quickly punched to indicate the time limit of the ticket.

it is obvious that numerous changes may be made yin the detailsset forthiwvithout departure from the essentials of the invention asldeiined in the claims. ,f

Ve 'claim as our 1nvent1on:-.

a plurality of coupons connected along their vertical side edges and arranged from left` to yright'lengthwise of the ticket in `geographical order of use, each of said coupons containing the same list of connecting lines yarranged in a single vertical column and in the'same relative order on each coupon, said list of lines being divided into separate groups arranged in geographical order with the routingof each group associated therewith, each coupon having a vertical column of consecutive numbers for designating the separate lines ofthe list thereon and an associated vertical column of' punch indications, vsaid Jcolumns of numbers and punch indications' lbeing alternately arranged at the right and left hand margins of the coupons and adapted to register along one margin when the ticket is folded, said coupons having "different captions arranged in horizontal alinement across the top of the ticket, the caption of the first couponV containing the name of the issuing line and its junction and the caption of each of the other coupons containing the names of the points between Which the coupon is good together with a reference to the group of lines and to the selected line in the group over Which the coupon is valid, substantially as described.

2. An interline coupon ticket comprising a plurality of coupons connected together in geographical order of use, each of said coupons containing the same list of connecting lines ,dividedinto separate groups arranged in geographical order with the rout` ing of each group associated therewith, each of said lines being designated on each ,in geographical order of their use length- Wise of the ticket the printed matter on said coupons being horizontally disposed, saidv agents stub and each of said coupons bearing the same form number and the same list of connecting lines arranged in a single verw tical column with corresponding vertical col* umns of punch indications and of consecutive numbers for designating the separate lines of the list, said vertical columns of numbers and of punch indications being al ternately arranged along the right and leftl hand margins of the coupons and adapted to register along the right hand margin of beneath the same, said; coupons having-V dif-:S1 n erent captions extending.y f in horizontalef alinement across the Vtop" of the ticketfthey `caption of the first coupon containing the name of the initial linev and its junction and thercaption of the other Vcoupons containing the names ofthe points between which the f i', coupon reads and a reference to theselected stantially as described.. x

line over which the coupon is Valid, sub- Y l. An interlinev couponk an agents stub anda plurality of lcoupons connected Atogether in geographicalorder oi?v use, said agents stub and each ofsaid. cou,- pons bearing a list of connecting lines together with vertical columns of'punchfindications andV of consecutive numbers for designatingrthe separate lines of the list,L i said vertical columns of numbers and,l ofi,l

punch indications beingl arranged to reg ister at the margin of the agentsstubrwhen ticket comprising.

mwen-L number, the name of thexissuing line and a suitably designated space for .receiving the name oi' thefdestination and each having ya different caption, the; caption ,of thefirst coupon containing the name of theinitial linev and its junction and the caption of each i l of; the. other couponsr containing the names of the; points 4between which the coupon reads andpa reference vto the selected line overwhich. the coupon is valid, Vsubstantially as described WILLIAM JpCAiNNON.Y A ALFREDHERMANY.

Witnesses: v J, G. ANDERSON,

ELEANOR HAGENOW.

'the tficketri'sI foldedbeneath; the same,' said n agents,stub' containing an epitomized capf` tion of theroutes for which the ticket can;

Copies of VthisV patent may be obtainedfor Vfwe centsreagh, addressing the Commissioner of latents,

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